Sustainability of a Social Business: A Case Study on Grameen Danone Foods Limited

Authors

  • Nur Nahar Yasmin Dhaka University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18034/abr.v6i3.42

Keywords:

Sustainable development, social business, Grameen Danone Foods Limited, Shakti Doi, poverty, malnutrition

Abstract

Achieving sustainability in the context of economic, social and environmental aspects has been one of the main focuses of modern times. The aim is to create the world that will facilitate the upcoming generations to lead a safe and sound life. Social business is a relatively new concept that assists in the creation of such a sustainable world by promoting and following the notion of “no-loss, no-dividend” business instead of conventional profit-maximizing business. The purpose of this paper is to show whether a social business can become a sustainable business and achieve the sustainable development goals set by United Nations. To scrutinize this theory of social business for sustainable development the author has selected Grameen-Danone Foods Limited (GDFL) as a case study. The endeavor of this paper is to elaborate the relationship between social business and sustainable development, describe GDFL as a social business and analyze the success (or failure) of GDFL as a sustainable social business. Finally, it tries to showcase a comparison of few of the sustainable development goals and the outcomes of the analysis of the business and social goals of GDFL. 

JEL Classifications: M 10                                                                                                                                                      

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biography

Nur Nahar Yasmin, Dhaka University

Lecturer, Department of Management, University of Dhaka, Dhaka-1000, BANGLADESH

References

Butlin, J 1989, ‘Our common future. By World commission on environment and development.’ Journal of International Development vol.1 no.2 pp. 284–287. Available from: doi:10.1002/jid.3380010208 ISSN 1099-1328 [20th March 2016]

Danone Communities 2012, Danone Sustainability Report. Available from: http://danone.at/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Danone_Sustainability_Report_2012.pdf [28th February 2016]

Danone Communities 2013, Danone Sustainability Report. Available from: http://www.danonecommunities.com/sites/default/files/presentation_projet_grameen_danone_food_ltd_feb_2013.pdf [1st March 2016]

Dunphy, D, Griffiths, A, & Benn, S 2003, ‘The Drivers of Change: Organizational change for corporate sustainability’ Routledge, London.

Garrett, B, & Karnani, A 2010, ‘Challenges in marketing socially useful goods to the poor.’ California Management Review vol, 52, no.4, pp. 29–47.

Ghalib, A, Hossain, F, and Arun, T 2009, ‘Social Responsibility, Business Strategy and Development’. The Australasian Accounting Business & Finance Journal, Responsibility, Business Strategy and Development. Vol.3, No. 4

Grameen Info 2007, ‘Zidane Inaugurates first Grameen Danone Dairy Plant’ Available from http://www.grameen-info.org/zidane-inaugurates-first-grameen-danone-dairy-plant/ [15th March 2016]

Humberg, K & Kleemann, L 2014, ‘Enhancing the Contribution of Social Business to Sustainable Development’ Development Co-operation Report, Mobilizing Resources for Sustainable Development pp.187-196

Humberg, K 2011, ‘Poverty Reduction through Social Business? Lessons Learnt from Grameen Joint Ventures in Bangladesh’ Oekom Verlog pp. 1-14

Khan, S 2015, ‘The Champion of Poverty Alleviation.’ Prothom Alo. Available from http://en.prothom-alo.com/opinion/news/70709/The-champion-of-poverty-alleviation, [28th June 2015] pp. 11

Kirby, A 2004, ‘Introduction: Planet under pressure.’ Available from: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/3686106.stm [21st February, 2016]

Leopold, A 1949, ‘A Sand County Almanac’, Oxford University Press. United States of America. pp. 31

Maurel, O 2009, ‘Grameen-Danone Foods Ltd: Overview.’ Available from http://www.slideshare.net/danonecommunities/grameen-danone-food-ltd-overview-210609. [3rd January 2011].

OECD/European Union 2013, ‘Policy Brief on Social Entrepreneurship’ Publication Office of the European Union, Luxembourg, Available from: www.oecd.org/cfe/leed/Social%20entrepreneurship%20policy%20brief%20EN_FINAL.pdf [13th March, 2016]

Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development 2000, ‘Social Enterprises,’ OECD Publishing, Paris, Available from http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/9789264182332-en [15th March 2016]

Oxfam International 2015, ‘Richest 1% will own more than all the rest by 2016’ Available from: https://www.oxfam.org/en/pressroom/pressreleases/2015-01-19/richest-1-will-own-more-all-rest-2016 [1st June 2015]

Park, P 2015, ‘Interview with Muhammad Yunus’ Available from http://www.alliancemagazine.org/interview/interview-with-muhammad-yunus/ [11th March 2016] pp. 27-29

Parkin, S 2000, ‘Sustainable Development: The Concept and the Practical Challenge.’ Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers, Civil Engineering, vol.138, pp. 3-8.

Rodrigues, J & Baker, GA 2012, ‘Grameen-Danone Foods Limited (GDF)’ International Food and Agribusiness Management Review , vol.15, no.1, pp. 127-158

Slaper, T F & Hall, TJ 2011, ‘The Triple Bottom Line: What Is It and How Does It Work?’ Indiana Business Review. vol. 86, no. 1.

Sowell, T 2003, ‘Profit Motive Underrated By Intelligentsia.’ Sun-sentinel. Available from: http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2003-12-26/news/0312241220_1_profits-million-dollars-costs [19th March 2016]

Sullivan, A & Steven M S 2003, ‘Economics: Principles in action.’ Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458: Pearson Prentice Hall. p. 29.ISBN 0-13-063085-3.

Sustainable Development Goals 2016, ‘The Sustainable Development Agenda’ Available from http://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/development-agend [11th March 2016]

United Nations 2014, ‘Prototype Global Sustainable Development Report’ United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Division for Sustainable Development. Available from https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/globalsdreport/2014 [12th March 2016]

Wee-Liang, WJ & Tan, T 2005, and ‘Defining the ‘Social’ in Social Entrepreneurship’: Altruism and Entrepreneurship.’ International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal. Vol.3 pp. 353-365.

Wilkinson, D & Yencken, D 2000, ‘Resetting the Compass: Australia’s Journey Towards Sustainability.’ Collingwood, VIC: CSIRO Publishing. Available from http://samples.sainsburysebooks.co.uk/9780643091733_sample_295425.pdf [11th March 2016]

Yunus, M &Weber, K 2007, ‘Creating a World without Poverty, Social Business and the Future of Capitalism’. New York: Public Affairs (Perseus).

Yunus, M 2007, ‘Creating a World without poverty’ New York, Public Affairs

Yunus, M 2010, ‘Building Social Business – The New Kind of Capitalism That Serves Humanity’s Most Pressing Needs’ Public Affairs, New York.

Yunus, M, Moingeon, B, & Lehmann-ortega, L 2009, ‘Building Social Business Models: Lessons from the Grameen Experience.’ HES Paris

--0--

Downloads

Published

2016-12-27

How to Cite

Yasmin, N. N. (2016). Sustainability of a Social Business: A Case Study on Grameen Danone Foods Limited. Asian Business Review, 6(3), 167–174. https://doi.org/10.18034/abr.v6i3.42